


So This is Love?

by scarletrebel



Series: Kindred Light [9]
Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-12
Updated: 2018-03-12
Packaged: 2019-03-30 11:44:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13950882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scarletrebel/pseuds/scarletrebel
Summary: “How could it possibly be wrong?” Shaxx poses the question to him, taking advantage of the dead air where Rook falters. “Yours is a bond I seldom see in a pair of Guardians, let alone Hunters. What on Earth could you be worried about?”Spelling it out on his forehead might have saved him this amount of grief, Rook thinks. If only he could’ve figured out a way to describe how he’s feeling in coherent words. The thought crosses his mind then that his fears are stupid enough to be embarrassed about anyway, and with two days of Crimson Days left, it’s useless to try and explain. Fight or flight presents an escape route, and he takes the latter without competition.





	So This is Love?

**Author's Note:**

> Yes I can damn well name a fic about my otp after one of the cheesiest Disney songs in the history of romance its called art you wouldn't understand--
> 
> Anyway. Pins drew [this fantastic picture of Rook and Avia for crimson days](http://pinstripe-doodles.tumblr.com/post/170848787136/the-strongest-crimson-bond), and it inspired this fic that as per usual spiraled into its own thing. I hope you like it!

“Hey, Avia?”

She stops staring at the intense red of the Crimson Days décor long enough to look at Grier, his hand hovering over the pad of the Vaults; face turned gentle in thought.

“Yeah, buddy?”

“You ever think about how weird it is that you and Rook switched supers?”

“Huh?”

Grier’s head tilts as he looks at her. Avia watches his bright eyes search her face for some sort of recognition that she knows what he’s talking about. Avia doesn’t do him a disservice in pretending that she does.

She figures he of all people must know how off she’s been lately, after all. Though if he can figure out why before she does, she’d love nothing more than to hear all about it.

Maybe it’s the drastic change in the look of the Tower, she muses looking up once more. Or the fact that she struggles to wrap her head about Crimson Days as a concept let alone being an active participant outside of the Crucible. Her head has been nothing but uncertain fog and knots in her stomach for days, and the most frustrating part of it all is that she can’t figure out _why_.

She looks up again, at the cut corners and harsh angles of the Tower, the white and grey that makes up its architecture has been swathed in hues of cherry and scarlet to celebrate. Banners tumbling in the breeze, mauve lamplight illuminating their folds. Confetti, like snowflakes carding gently through the air.

It all looks so soft and pretty, so much so that Avia had stayed up on the first night of the festival just to observe it all; take it in. She’d decided to perch just above where Saladin observes the Iron Banner every time it rolls around. In between watching shaders turn from dusty golds to warmer hues in the spirit of the season, she remembers catching herself watching a couple of Titans gathering up the confetti petals up to attach to their armour. They congregated below her and chatted excitedly about making flowers for their loved ones, and that knot in her stomach tightened even though she couldn’t help a smile as the gathering Guardians gushed.

Lest she forget looking down to the City, sprawled and no less lovingly decorated beneath the Traveler and its broken pieces, watching. Suddenly she’d never related to a floating ball in the sky so much.

“Well, it’s not weird, more of a cool coincidence.” The Warlock goes on, undeterred. “I mean, you’re an Arc Strider now when you used to be a Nightstalker, and Rook’s a Nightstalker now when before…”

Grier’s voice trails off, his eyes betraying his unwillingness to finish that sentence. Avia meets them and silently assures him that there’s no need to.

“Guess I never realised,” she quietly affirms. Over Grier’s shoulder, two Titans walk sullenly towards where Shaxx monitors the crucible. Her stomach knots up even more. Grier’s brows furrow at her.

“Are you… Okay?” He asks, finishing up in his Vault. A small piece of confetti forever falling from the sky catches on his silver fringe, and Avia lifts a hand delicately to remove it.

“I’m, I’m okay,” Avia says, small. She stares at the confetti piece, rubbing it between her fingers. “I think all this stuff is lost on me.”

“What do you mean?” Grier asks. A modest smile – the kind that doubts you but doesn’t voice it – plays on his lips. “You and Rook have been inseparable for the past week, it’s how I noticed the super thing. But you also haven’t done Crimson Doubles yet, which is weird? Is everything okay with you two?”

“Oh, no, everything’s fine,” Avia’s voice turns quick, the words bubbling up in her chest but not quite making it to her head. “I just don’t I understand Crimson Days, I think. Or, I do, I get it but I just don’t know if I like it.”

Grier’s face shifts and she knows what he’s going to say as that goofy grin splits across his face, some sort of comment on her finding Rook’s over the top romance perfectly fine. As much as she knows Grier’s intent is harmless she can’t find it in herself to explain that side of the whole Crimson Days conundrum to him.

So she continues, even faster. “Well, actually, I do like it, I like it a lot. It’s, um. I don’t know, Grier, it’s hard to explain. I’m not sure I want to, let alone actually being able to.”

Grier’s smile turns more genuine, his eyes softening around the edges. “I think I get it. There’s a lot of expectation, isn’t there? Kind of feels… I don’t know, too much? In that sense?”

“Yes!” Avia cries, some Guardians turning their heads when she does. Grier only laughs as she goes on. “It is too much! Almost feels like if you’re not rolling around in flower petals you’re not enjoying yourself. But, that doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy it! Doesn’t mean I don’t want Rook to be the big romantic sap that he always is, I just. It’s hard to explain why I’m feeling this way. I feel like a walking contradiction.”

Grier shrugs his shoulders. “I don’t really get all this stuff either, if I’m being honest.”

His response gives her pause. Avia crosses her arms and raises a brow. She’s never seen Grier get romantically involved, although it’s not like it’s expected of him. She’s made enough jokes about him being in love with the Hive to span an actual relationship. But the realisation is so sudden, that she’s never heard him talk about it. Her curiosity piques.

In true Warlock fashion, he goes on without prompting. “Well, I think I get it. It’s just that, what I see in you and Rook is the same thing I see in Eve when she teaches students and in Asher when he tells me to be careful before missions. It’s all the same, isn’t it? And it happens all the time. So all this just feels a bit… Well, it’s cute? But kind of… Oh. I get what you mean about it being hard to explain, now.”

Avia smiles, her heart blooming in that way only her completely clueless and somehow right on target bond-brother can bring about. She reaches up and ruffles Grier’s fringe.

“Well, you made it a little bit easier for me, at least. So thanks for not being completely useless.”

Grier frowns and cards a hand through his fringe, cheekily muttering under his breath. “Well now you sound exactly like Asher.”

“How _dare_ you,” Avia seethes, to which Grier giggles and backs up away from her playfully raised fist.

* * *

Rook really, really doesn’t want to do this. Since finishing up a long overdue conversation with Hawthorne, he’s been dreading every step he makes towards the centre of the Tower. In spite of that though, there was no way, not on the Travelers Light, that he’d go to Cayde or – shuddering just at the thought – Zavala for such a subject.

He laments inwardly as he walks towards where Shaxx monitors the Crucible. Lord Saladin would have been perfect, but with Iron Banner out of its cycle and the Iron Temple being used to train Guardians, the unavailability of the Iron Lord left Rook with no choice. The walkway rattles beneath his feet and he forces himself to the other side, swinging right at the end of it.

Shaxx is talking to some younger Guardians when he arrives, sheltered from the rain of Crimson Days on his balcony perch of the Tower, his voice firm but encouraging. His visitors look downtrodden, shoulders hunched forward, arms around their middles. A couple of Titans, from the looks of it. Rook can’t help but give them an exasperated once over, wondering to himself why it’s always like Titans to take defeat too personally.

He watches the screens on the wall in front of them, his back to the City, as Shaxx talks the Titans out of swearing off the Crucible forever. Playing on the monitors are mostly Crimson Double matches, shocks of pink and red and white dance across each screen. Lots of Hunters, this year, and lots of skip grenades rolling from the arms of the exotic armour piece that provides a second and even more deadly charge.

He rolls his eyes; frustrated that some Guardians will take the easiest strategy if it’ll assure them victory. Every season of Crucible brings a new change, a new ‘meta’ to the game that Rook outwardly and loudly complains about. Most of the time his unwilling victim is Avia, who berates him behind a smile, and asks if he’s managed to get his hands on whatever the kids in the Crucible are using these days.

Which, of course, he never does. Not until the next big thing comes along, anyway, which she teases him mercilessly for. He smiles at the thought, until a voice like brick and mortar brings him around.

“Are you here to explain yourself?”

He smiles still as he addresses Lord Shaxx, shrugging his shoulders with his hands rested easy on his belt.

“I left my skip grenades in the old Tower, not sure if I’d qualify.”

Shaxx sighs and shakes his head, but Rook knows it’s harmless.

“If there was anyone who could show his fellow Hunters a thing or two about pushing the boundaries of the Crucible, Rook, it’d be you.”

He snorts. “No one wants a ‘boundary’ like this pushed,” he says, pointing to a screen where two Hunters are 8-0 ahead of their Warlock enemies. “How many engrams do you reckon it’d take for me to get a hands on those Hunter Gauntlets, anyway?”

Even obscured by the imposing one-horned helmet he dons constantly, Rook can still feel Shaxx’s piercing gaze. “I hope you’re not here to whine.”

“Well, that depends,” Rook walks closer, his head turned down. “On what you’d consider whining.”

Shaxx’s head tilts, whether curiosity or concern Rook’s never been able to tell. Lord Shaxx’s demeanor has always been that of a brick wall, arms on his hips, shoulders strong and steady. That infamous voice a booming, demanding thing. It softens slightly around Rook, something they’ve both noticed but never mentioned.

“Speak your mind.”

Rook releases a breath, let’s his lungs and his nerves settle. He rests his arms at his sides, too tired and too wound up by his own mind to keep up the front, the bravado. The last person he could fool is Shaxx, after all, not for want of trying. So, he lets the words fall out of his mouth before his brain can catch up.

“I haven’t been competing in Crimson Doubles because I don’t know how to ask Avia to be my partner.”

The air around them stills. Far too many and far too little seconds pass.

“Are you joking?”

“Uh,” Rook laughs awkwardly. “No?”

Shaxx lets out the deepest, most condescending sigh Rook’s ever heard, and suddenly he feels like taking a few steps forward and leaping off of the Tower into the rocks below.

“You and Avia have competed alongside each other countless times, Rook.”

“This is different!” Rook cries, indignant. “I want it to be right.”

“How could it possibly be wrong?” Shaxx poses the question to him, taking advantage of the dead air where Rook falters. “Yours is a bond I seldom see in a pair of Guardians, let alone Hunters. What on Earth could you be worried about?”

Spelling it out on his forehead might have saved him this amount of grief, Rook thinks. If only he could’ve figured out a way to describe how he’s feeling in coherent words. The thought crosses his mind then that his fears are stupid enough to be embarrassed about anyway, and with two days of Crimson Days left, it’s useless to try and explain. Fight or flight presents an escape route, and he takes the latter without competition.

“Actually? Never mind,” Rook turns on his heel. “Thanks anyway.”

“Rook.”

He stops.

“I told you to speak your mind.”

The Hunter screws his eyes shut, but turns around and tries again.

“I know it’s just Crucible, okay? I know that whilst it means a lot to me, it’s not that big a deal,” his voice takes on a pleading tilt. “I know Avia loves me and I’m not worried about that I just. I don’t want to assume anything. We’ve spent the whole week together but we haven’t spoken about the festival, it’s just been business as usual. And it’s been great, but I don’t know what she thinks of all this and I don’t want her to feel pressured into liking it just because she of all people knows how much of a – sap, I am. I’d be singing from the rooftops if I could, but… And, and it’ll be the first time we’ve competed just the two of us, and I know she won’t want me to be freaking out about it, and I can hear her teasing me in my mind every time I think about asking her, and I know it’ll be fine but I also think–”

Shaxx raises a hand. Rook’s stomach turns. Then the Crucible master laughs, not unkindly, his shoulders bouncing.

“In my experience, you seem to be worrying yourself into a frenzy.”

“Yeah, well, it’s not something I – wait, in your experience?”

Shaxx laughs again, and reaches to clasp Rook on the shoulder, the Human’s face contorted in confusion.

“I’ll forgive the assumption, seeing as you’ve clearly got your head in the clouds at present.”

Rook swallows, laughs dryly. “Sorry Shaxx.”

“All is well, you lovesick fool.” Shaxx chides, to which Rook groans and looks at the floor.

“I’m an idiot.”

“Yes,” Shaxx says. “You’re in love. And your reactions are a reflection of just how much it means to you, how much she means to you. But to say you’re overthinking this would be, quite frankly, an understatement.”

“Is that your roundabout way of saying that it’s _just Crucible_ , too?”

Shaxx’s grip on Rook’s shoulder tightens, and he squirms.

“Stop joking.”

“Yeah – yeah, okay,” Rook concedes, shuffling back slightly in an awkward attempt to escape. Shaxx permits it. Rook takes a few second to be thankful he wasn’t grinded into paste and used to polish the armour used for the training bots.

“It’s not just Crucible, not to you, and not to me. Which is why you’re here.”

“But you just said I was overthinking–”

“Because you are,” Shaxx declares, coaxingly. “You’re not overthinking the Crucible, you’re overthinking Avia. You’re far too focused on what her reaction might be that you’ve scared yourself out of simply asking her. You don’t need to protect her feelings, you need to trust that she’ll open them to you when the time is right.”

Rook’s face softens. He thinks of the old Tower, of a roaring fire and brittle lilac hands rested on top of his. Of Venus and it’s rolling hills, solidarity blooming. He feels like twice the idiot.

Shaxx senses his change in heart, and goes on. “You’ve been presented with an opportunity to grow your relationship, and you’re convincing yourself that it scares you. You’ve been inside your own head for too long, Rook. That won’t do. Get back into the real world and do what you’ve been putting off. Do you understand?”

There’s something about Shaxx’s tone that makes Rook curious. But, he’s reached his quota on being an idiot today, so he leaves the topic. For another time.

“I do. At least, I think I do.”

“Then why are you still here?” Shaxx asks, voice firm as he turns his attention away from Rook and back to the Crucible.

Rook breaths out a laugh, and turns to make his way to the Plaza of the Tower.

“Thanks,” he says over his shoulder, proceeding to run straight into Avia.

* * *

Efrideet always claimed he had a really good sixth sense. She believed a lot in that kind of thing, much to the despair of Shaxx. Even despite being a formidable warrior with decades of practical experience, something he reminded her of in a discreetly complimentary fashion whenever he could. To Efrideet, her intuition simply came above everything.

It was just one of the things he loved about her, but never said aloud. He wasn’t a man of gut instincts, rather utilising direct action and thought out strategy. Of course, he couldn’t dispute the need to adapt and change on a whim, especially in the heat of battle. He kept that mostly to himself though, lest she never let him hear the end of it.

He mentally shakes the wistfulness from his heart before it can take hold.

In truth, Shaxx could hear Avia and Grier conversing before Rook arrived. Maybe it was his ‘sixth sense’ but more likely, he thinks, he just gave direct action at the right time. Traveler knows, Rook needs it.

“Oh!” Avia exclaims, and Shaxx hears the smile in her tone. “Hey handsome.”

“Oh, hey, sweetheart,” Rook says, winded, and Shaxx rolls his eyes.

“I was just handing in some tokens, what are you up to?”

“Uh,” Rook starts, and Shaxx makes a noise of encouragement. Avia peeks her head around to stare at him, but he continues effortlessly staying engrossed in monitoring the Crucible.

“I was just gonna… Hop into some Crimson Doubles?”

“No,” Shaxx says firmly, to which both Hunters cast him a cursory look. “Don’t save your heavy ammo when the enemy are right in front of you!” He yells, still looking at the screens, and the two go on as if uninterrupted.

“Actually,” Rook says, quiet. Shaxx considers knocking Rook on the shoulder again, forcing the words out of him. _Light above_ , he thinks, _this is becoming just short of painful_.

Finally, Rook goes on. “I wanted to ask if you’d join me. If we could do Crimson Doubles together?”

From the corner of his eye he watches Rook take Avia’s hands, the grin on her lilac face stretching into a blinding smile.

“Why, Rook, Light Above, I thought you’d never ask!” Avia exclaims, her voice light and airy and Rook sighs a laugh.

“Oh, come on now, I knew you’d do that,” Rook laughs.

“I’ve been waiting all my life for this moment!”

“Sugar, you’re _killing me_.”

Avia tuts, and reaches up so they can share a small kiss. Shaxx looks over to see the tension leak out of Rook’s body, the human falling into Avia a bit more. Lovesick fool, indeed.

“Of course I will,” Avia says. “I wasn’t expecting you to get down on one knee, you know.”

“I know,” Rook says, shy. “Believe me, I know. We just never talked about it, or I never thought to ask. And you know me, sweetheart, I’d have spelled it out in rose petals if I thought you wanted me to.”

Avia makes a sound as if being caught off guard. When she recovers, she looks up at him through her eyelashes.

“Well, I wouldn’t have hated that, I guess,” she says, small. Then she huffs and her demeanour changes, more vulnerable, open. “It’s – it’s a lot, all of this, I think. And I’m not quite sure if I like it yet, I mean I do of course I do because I love when you do it but I’m having trouble–”

“Hey, hey, hey,” Rook soothes, rubbing her shoulders. “You don’t have to do that now, if you don’t want. We can have that conversation later. Whenever you want to, sugar.”

“Well, you know how I deal with all of this stuff, so.” She smiles again. “So long as there isn’t a crowd of people, I’m good.”

Rook looks around them, quickly. Seeing that Shaxx is the only other person there, he winds his arms around Avia’s middle and lifts her into the air.

“Okay, so this is too much?” He asks, cheeky.

“Travelers Light Rook,” Avia laughs back. “Put me down.”

He starts to spin them, Avia catching herself in surprise and finding leverage on his shoulders. _Traveler give me strength_ , Shaxx thinks to himself.

“So you don’t want me to make sure that everyone knows how much I love you? You don’t want me to show you off to – _mmpphff!_ ”

Avia shoves her hand over Rook’s face and demands; “Rook, put me down _now_ you big sap,” her voice laced with mirth. He acquiesces, mumbling a small apology and she tuts yet again.

It’s a series of infamous tales by now, and Shaxx allows the nostalgia to wash over him as he watches the sickeningly sweet display. The Iron Lady Efrideet, lifting many a Titan over her head and chucking them towards whatever obstacle or enemy aimed to harm the peace. He always tried to downplay how much he enjoyed being a part of it. He never voiced himself, only nodded his head and fulfilled what he felt – and what he had told them all – was merely his duty.

“If you two continue to act like children, I’ll have to make you leave.”

Avia looks over at him again, scoffing at the comment. She takes Rook by the hand, making to leave.

“Come on then, lover boy.”

“Your tokens–?”

“Let’s not get kicked out of the Crucible before we’ve had a chance to put all these skip grenades in their place, shall we?”

Shaxx hears Rook trip over his feet slightly, the Human takes a deep breath. “Oh, you know exactly what to say, sugar.”

Shaxx waits to heat their voices drift around the corner before placing his arms on his waist, and laughing gently.

“No one will stand a chance.”

**Author's Note:**

> Also I finally finished the first draft of the second chapter of Good Intentions so that will genuinely be next I promise aha.


End file.
